In a significant push to modernize maritime education, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal on Tuesday laid the foundation stone for a girls’ hostel at Indian Maritime University (IMU), Kochi, and virtually inaugurated infrastructure projects worth ₹67.77 crore across six IMU campuses.
The newly announced girls’ hostel at IMU Kochi, estimated at ₹13.11 crore, aims to enhance residential facilities for female maritime students. Alongside, Sonowal remotely unveiled state-of-the-art infrastructure at IMU campuses in Chennai, Kolkata, Navi Mumbai, Mumbai Port, and Visakhapatnam, including simulators, solar power units, upgraded sports infrastructure, and hostel renovations.
“These 17 projects mark a significant step in our mission to strengthen India’s maritime education landscape,” said Sonowal. The development holds strong relevance for Dibrugarh, where the inland waterways sector along the Brahmaputra is poised for expansion. Industry leaders in the region see the IMU initiatives as a pipeline for skilled professionals who can support logistics, port operations, and inland shipping enterprises in Assam and the Northeast. The event also featured senior officials and maritime stakeholders, ending with a forward-looking discussion on innovation in maritime education.
